Obsessed with sex? Join the crowd! Aphrodisiacs are ancient history and have been used for centuries to arouse and inflame sexual desire, heighten sexual enjoyment, and increase sexual performance. Many insect species (or their products) in several orders are utilized in hopes of erotic wonders. Methods of use include entomophagy, external applications of insect preparations, and employing insects as symbolic charms to produce physiological effects (real or imagined) such as genital enlargement, increased semen production, prevention of impotence and pleasure enhancement. The underlying reason(s) for associating a given insect with a particular amorous effect on humans is often unclear, but can relate to the insect’s behavior, physical attributes, or chemical composition. Here we review the historical and contemporary uses of insects or their products as aphrodisiacs by various cultures around the world.
Species 1: Coleoptera Meloidae (Blister beetle)
Keywords: Spanish fly, aphrodisiacs
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